Bautista won't play for remainder of season

Toronto, ON – Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista won't play for the remainder of the season.

The Star first reported the news on Wednesday, and the team followed a short while later, saying the heavy-hitting veteran outfielder will be shut down due to a femur bone bruise. The Jays expect him to be 100 percent healthy by spring training.

Bautista also took to his personal Twitter account, saying: "Not exactly the news i was hoping to announce...its a bittersweet day (injury is healing but not enough games left in season to come back)"

Bautista had been placed on the 15-day disabled list on Aug. 20, one day after a bothersome bruise on his left hip flared up during a doubleheader against the New York Yankees.

The 32-year-old native of the Dominican Republic collected 28 homers and batted .259 with 73 RBI over 118 games on the season.

It is the second straight season that Bautista will not finish out the year due to poor health. In 2012, a tendon injury in his left wrist suffered in July ended his year for good in late August after he participated in only 92 games.

With Bautista and Melky Cabrera now on the shelf, the Jays are expected to give longer looks to call-ups Anthony Gose, Kevin Pillar and Moises Sierra.

Toronto, which had swung a major trade with the Miami Marlins in the offseason to boost their roster, heads into the finale of a three-game interleague series with the Arizona Diamondbacks in last place in the AL East with a 64-75 record.